FEMA to help elevate homes

Published: Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 12:47 a.m.

More structures in Terrebonne Parish will get a boost above future storm surges with another wave of federal grants.

About $3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency money will be used to elevate 11 homes and one commercial building in Terrebonne Parish.

The money comes from the Repetitive Flood Claims, Severe Repetitive Loss and Pre-disaster Mitigation grants. This is the first time the parish has received Repetitive Flood and Pre-disaster grants. It is the fourth Severe Repetitive Loss grant awarded to the parish, bringing the total to $12.6 million to elevate 60 structures.

Parish President Michel Claudet is expected to sign a sub-grantee agreement Monday. This is part of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance program to help elevate homes damaged by flooding.

“Terrebonne Parish consolidated government is committed to seeking all available funding to help residents elevate their homes,” Claudet said. “Home elevations, in addition to levees and coastal restoration, are all critical for Terrebonne Parish.”

Property owners will receive an invitation in the mail. Grants are available annually to encourage the reduction of flood risks and claims, Gerbasi said. A building must have flooded to be eligible.

Since hurricanes Lili and Isidore flooded Terrebonne in 2002, more than $50 million in federal-grant money has been used to elevate more than 800 often-flooded bayou homes.

Gerbasi said Congress is consideration phasing out one or more of these sources.

“The parish will pursue the funding as long as it is available to mitigate as many structures as possible,” she said. “The parish will be approaching owners of these structures very soon to prepare for the next application and get more structures elevated.”

Gerbasi said rules for these grants vary. But in this case, homeowners have to pay just 10 percent of the cost for the elevations. Or they can cover it with insurance benefits through the Increased Cost of Compliance program, available through the National Flood Insurance Program. That pays up to $30,000 to elevate a home that’s been substantially damaged by floods.

Gerbasi said raising homes with FEMA assistance is part of a parish strategy to track down locals suffering repeated property damage from flooding and use the federal dollars to get as many as possible out of harm’s way.

Houma Resident Larry Williams, at 510 Woodside Drive, qualified for the grant. He said he’s still “window shopping” to find a contractor to elevate his home, which he expects to start on at the beginning of the year.

Williams bought his house two years ago. He said he knew then the house had been flooded before. But when FEMA sent him a report that indicated it had flooded five times within a 10-year period, he decided to take preventative measures.

“Instead of being reactive about it, I became proactive,” Williams said.

Williams said elevating homes in flood zones is a “win-win” for all parties involved.

“It’s a win for the federal government because it’s cheaper for them to just elevate a house to prevent it from flooding than it is to pay for the cost of a flood-damaged home,” he said. “And the elevation brings up the property value of my home while my flood insurance goes down at the same time.”

Williams said he’s noticed many in his neighborhood are getting their homes raised.

“It is important to protect my family and my home,” he said. “There are some things that you can lose that just aren’t replaceable.”

<p>More structures in Terrebonne Parish will get a boost above future storm surges with another wave of federal grants.</p><p>About $3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency money will be used to elevate 11 homes and one commercial building in Terrebonne Parish. </p><p>The money comes from the Repetitive Flood Claims, Severe Repetitive Loss and Pre-disaster Mitigation grants. This is the first time the parish has received Repetitive Flood and Pre-disaster grants. It is the fourth Severe Repetitive Loss grant awarded to the parish, bringing the total to $12.6 million to elevate 60 structures. </p><p>Parish President Michel Claudet is expected to sign a sub-grantee agreement Monday. This is part of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance program to help elevate homes damaged by flooding.</p><p>“Terrebonne Parish consolidated government is committed to seeking all available funding to help residents elevate their homes,” Claudet said. “Home elevations, in addition to levees and coastal restoration, are all critical for Terrebonne Parish.” </p><p>Individual meetings with successful applicants will begin next month, said Jennifer Gerbasi, Terrebonne Parish recovery planner. </p><p>Property owners will receive an invitation in the mail. Grants are available annually to encourage the reduction of flood risks and claims, Gerbasi said. A building must have flooded to be eligible.</p><p>Since hurricanes Lili and Isidore flooded Terrebonne in 2002, more than $50 million in federal-grant money has been used to elevate more than 800 often-flooded bayou homes.</p><p>Gerbasi said Congress is consideration phasing out one or more of these sources.</p><p>“The parish will pursue the funding as long as it is available to mitigate as many structures as possible,” she said. “The parish will be approaching owners of these structures very soon to prepare for the next application and get more structures elevated.”</p><p>Gerbasi said rules for these grants vary. But in this case, homeowners have to pay just 10 percent of the cost for the elevations. Or they can cover it with insurance benefits through the Increased Cost of Compliance program, available through the National Flood Insurance Program. That pays up to $30,000 to elevate a home that's been substantially damaged by floods.</p><p>Gerbasi said raising homes with FEMA assistance is part of a parish strategy to track down locals suffering repeated property damage from flooding and use the federal dollars to get as many as possible out of harm's way.</p><p>Houma Resident Larry Williams, at 510 Woodside Drive, qualified for the grant. He said he's still “window shopping” to find a contractor to elevate his home, which he expects to start on at the beginning of the year. </p><p>Williams bought his house two years ago. He said he knew then the house had been flooded before. But when FEMA sent him a report that indicated it had flooded five times within a 10-year period, he decided to take preventative measures.</p><p>“Instead of being reactive about it, I became proactive,” Williams said. </p><p>Williams said elevating homes in flood zones is a “win-win” for all parties involved.</p><p>“It's a win for the federal government because it's cheaper for them to just elevate a house to prevent it from flooding than it is to pay for the cost of a flood-damaged home,” he said. “And the elevation brings up the property value of my home while my flood insurance goes down at the same time.”</p><p>Williams said he's noticed many in his neighborhood are getting their homes raised. </p><p>“It is important to protect my family and my home,” he said. “There are some things that you can lose that just aren't replaceable.”</p>